The present invention relates to permanent magnet alloys, and a method for producing the same, which alloys are used in the production of permanent magnets.
Permanent magnet alloys of a light rare earth element, such as neodymium, with iron or iron and boron are known for use in the production of permanent magnets. With these permanent magnet alloys, to achieve coercive force values adequate for permanent magnet production, it is necessary to use special processing techniques. Specifically, it is necessary either to use powder metallurgy processing, wherein the alloy is comminuted to form particles which are then used to form a magnet by pressing and sintering, or melt spinning the molten alloy to form a rapidly solidified, thin ribbon, which may be comminuted to form particles for use in magnet production. Both of these practices are relatively expensive, compared to direct casting of molten alloy to produce magnets. In addition, during the comminuting operation to reduce the alloy to fine particle form, a loss in coercivity results. This coercivity loss is unrecoverable.